DIETETICS APPLICATION:

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR RESUME AND

COVER LETTER

Centre for Student Involvement and Careers

K I M B E R L E Y R A W E S

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AGENDA

Articulating your experience

Distinguish content for the resume vs. cover letter

Resume and cover letter essentials

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LETS PRACTICE

Find a partner (someone who you do not know well)

Select a past experience that you are proud of.

Share a moment or story from that experience that makes you

proud of yourself.

Switch!

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS OR

DUTIES?

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STATEMENTS ON YOUR RESUME

Verb + Task Duty statement

Verb + Task + Result Accomplishment statement

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STATEMENTS ON YOUR RESUME

Verb + Task Duty statement

Example:

• Prepared healthy menu items, cleaned work area and rotated tasks with other team members

• Adhered to Food Safe standards

Verb + Task + Result Accomplishment statement

Example:

• Applied Food Safe standards during meal preparation and consistently maintained clean work space during peak periods

when teams of 5 were preparing meals ready to serve to approximately 50 students.

• Recognized with Certificate of Achievement awarded for consistent attendance and positive attitude during volunteer

shifts

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ACCOMPLISHMENT STATEMENTS

Verb + Task + Result

Results are typically: outcomes, goals, numbers, metrics, feedback, skills learned

Questions to answer: how did you do it? Why was it important? What happened

because of it? What was the context?

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WHY WRITE A COVER

LETTER?

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THE FUNCTION OF RESUME AND COVER LETTER

Resume

• Matches you to the job

• Chronicles a timeline of your

experience that is relevant to the role

• Describes key accomplishments from

each role

Cover Letter

• Matches you to the job

• Describes a few key stories from your

past experience and relates the skills

and lessons learned to requirements in

the role

• Previews what you might share in your

interview

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HOW DO YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR SKILLS

Technical Skills

Healthy eating practices

Food preparation (Food Safe)

Workshop design

Blogging (wordpress, etc.)

Professional Skills

Communication

Critical Thinking

Problem Solving

Collaboration

Traits

Work ethic

Passionate

Hardworking

Dedicated

Attitudes

Positive

Enthusiastic

Honest

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PROGRAM GUIDELINES FOR APPLICATION

Your reasons for applying to dietetics.

Any specific professional goals you may have.

Personal attributes, skills, work/volunteer experience, and any qualifications or highlights

that speak to your suitability for dietetics.

Any information that you feel the review committee should be aware of in assessing your

application that may not otherwise be apparent from reviewing your application package.

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WRITING TECHNIQUES

Brainstorm

• Good for generating many different ideas

• Must not censor yourself

Mind-map

• Illuminates connections or overlaps in

content

• Can help to organize and prioritize key

areas of content

Free write

• Helps to build the skill of translating thoughts

to words

• Useful as a daily or short term practice to

“unblock” writing

Different formats

• Examples include dialogue, poetry,

metaphor, narrative, etc.

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WRITING TECHNIQUES

Brainstorm

What past experiences might be best to talk about in your cover letter?

Mind-map

What specific stories would you want to tell?

Free write

Selecting one of those stories and then answer: what have I gained from ______

experience that prepares me to be a Dietitian? How will I use that in the profession?

Different formats (dialogue, poetry, metaphor, etc.)

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FINDING STRUCTURE

Various ways of organizing your content:

Chronology

Flow of questions

Related themes

Importance to the profession

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WHAT HAVE YOU GAINED AS A

RESULT OF THIS SESSION?

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students.ubc.ca/career

Samples, videos, and resources

Book a session with Career Peer Coaches